1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a female terminal fitting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-346958 and FIG. 9 herein disclose a female terminal fitting. With reference to FIG. 9, the female terminal fitting is configured so that the tab 2 of a mating male terminal fitting can be inserted into a tab insertion opening 3 on the front surface a square pillar-shaped body 4 of the female terminal fitting. A resiliently deformable elastic contact 5 is disposed inside the body 4. More particularly, the contact 5 is folded from the rear end of a ceiling wall 6 of the body 4 and extends obliquely forward to a bent apex 7. The contact 5 then extends through a curve 8 and returns in a rearward direction back into contact with the ceiling wall 6.
A contact projection 5A projects from the elastic contact 5 towards a bottom wall 9 of the body part 4. The contact projection 5A has a contact 5B that aligns with the apex 7 in the longitudinal direction of the female terminal fitting and is below the apex 7 in the vertical direction of the female terminal fitting. The elastic contact 5 deforms resiliently about the rear end of the ceiling wall 6 when the tab 2 is inserted into the body 4. Thus, the tab 2 is sandwiched between the contact 5B of the contact projection 5A and the bottom wall 9 to connect the tab 2 electrically with the female terminal fitting.
A small gap is provided between the contact 5B of the contact projection 5A and the bottom wall 9. Thus, the force of inserting the tab 2 into the gap is liable to increase rapidly, and an operator may have trouble fitting two housings together.
The present invention has been completed in view of the above-described situation. Therefore it is an object of the present invention to reduce a resistance to insertion of a tab of a female terminal fitting.